UGA suspends players

University of Georgia men's basketball players Tony Cole and Steve Thomas and football player Brandon Williams have been suspended from competition pending the outcome of an investigation into a reported rape Monday night in McWhorter Hall.

None of the three have been charged with a crime. As of Wednesday, no arrest warrants had been issued in connection with the case.

According to The Associated Press, UGA Athletic Director Vince Dooley said Wednesday that any player charged with a felony would be kicked off the team.

The suspensions were announced Wednesday afternoon by the University of Georgia Athletic Association.

The suspensions were imposed by Georgia head basketball coach Jim Harrick and head football coach Mark Richt prior to Wednesday night's men's home basketball game against Alabama.

Cole and Thomas were on the bench for the game, in street clothes. They left Stegeman Coliseum before reporters could talk with them.

Harrick, commenting Wednesday on the suspensions, said, ''Until all the facts are in, I think it's the best thing to do for this university and this basketball team.''

Asked if he considered not having the two players at the game, Harrick said, ''No, they're a part of the team.''

Richt did not return a phone message seeking comment.

During a press conference early Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Hall, two university officials said the investigation was progressing ''as quickly as possible.''

''Currently, the investigation is focusing on interviewing the people involved and sorting out the facts ... to determine what action we will take,'' said Asa Boynton, UGA's assistant vice president for public safety.

The UGA Police Department is investigating the incident and relaying details to the Clarke County District Attorney's Office, said UGA Police Chief Chuck Horton.

''I think we're moving along well, and we're certainly not stalled. But we're certainly not at the end,'' Horton said. ''We are hoping to conclude it as quickly as possible.''

Boynton said Wednesday that a woman had accused a men's basketball player of raping her, and had alleged that a football player attempted to rape her.

The woman told also told police a second men's basketball player was involved, but Boynton declined Wednesday to specify the alleged role of the third athlete.

Boynton said he wanted to approach the case with ''deliberate speed'' to make sure no charges are brought against innocent individuals and to protect the integrity of the case.

The alleged attack occurred between 9:30 and 10 p.m. Monday, according to a police report. The woman called university police to her residence about 1 a.m. Tuesday and was taken to the Athens-Clarke Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner house, where she was given a rape exam.

The victim, a university student but not an athlete, knew one of the three athletes involved in the investigation, Boynton said.

She has left school, but, Boynton said, ''I don't think she has dropped out of school.''

Horton declined to discuss any of the evidence in the case. He did say he could not remember any previous rape cases involving Georgia athletes.